The Art of Organised Cheating Part 1

You wander around Canterlot in hopes of finding a place to stay. Over the course of an hour (which is actually rather fast, thanks to yours and Trixie’s teleportation abilities) you find that all the hotels you’ve seen cost money. Figures.

Most ponies taking the tests are foals, and they’re granted room and board at the palace during the test time if they aren’t from Canterlot. In this case, where scholars are re-taking these tests, most ponies are rich and successful, and can easily afford a room in these fancy hotels.

Although you, Trixie, Colgate, and Lyra are all scholars in your respective fields, neither of you were smart enough to rent a hotel ahead of time.

Lyra suggests that since you and Trixie can teleport, they just all live in the library back in Ponyville and teleport to the tests. Trixie was quick to say that teleporting such far distances is extremely difficult, which is why she took the train.

You’re about to suggest that you all stay at your parents place, but then realize that they’ve traveled abroad while the house is being renovated.

Eventually, Colgate finds one hotel far into the mountains that is just perfect. Well, It’s free of charge. There are 5 beds that are really just mattresses tossed out haphazardly onto the floor with dirty blankets over three of them. The two beds without blankets have plastic wrap draped carelessly over them.

The walls are sporting dark blue wallpaper that seems to be hanging on for dear life. Most of it has peeled away and lay on the floor in a small cyan trash pile.

Although there are 5 beds, there is only 1 bathroom without a door and a busted sink. The bedroom and the kitchen are separated by what seems to be a large purple shower curtain that hangs from a lop-sided coat hanger type bar that spans the whole room.

The kitchen seems to be the only nice place in the room. Its sink isn’t sparkling clean, but it has a nice silver finish that looks as if it could glisten if given a good scrub. The fridge is actually rather large compared to most fridges. It’s a double door with a drawer-like freezer below. It looks a bit old, but it’s quite chilly when opened and can easily cool the whole room.

After about 20 minutes of examining the room, you each agree on using it for the tests. It was the only decision, after all.

You each lay down your grocery bags, exhausted from carrying them everywhere. Colgate goes off to tell the land lady that the room will be taken.

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